Stack Light Control Module

Has anyone ever created a Control Module for an allen bradley stack light that contains a red, amber and red light as well as an alarm. Could some of you all create a UDT how you would do it to give me some ideas, I know this sounds pretty simple but are looking for different ideas

Thanks Bob

What are you asking? In my mind, that is just 4 outputs.
A datatype describing it? Well, how about 'Stack', with bool members 'Red1', 'Amber', 'Red2', 'Horn' ?

It's probably simple to do with an "Easy" or with a "Pico"?
What is UDT?

gbradley said:

What is UDT?

Click to expand...

A User-defined Data Type in S7 speak...

What the original poster means I don't know

Paul

I think the poster wants some ideas about how stack light logic is done in controllogix with the use of UDT. I have used them with a PLC5, but each appliction was different.

On one they wanted to use it as a winder fill level indicator, which started all lights off then each light would come on as the roll was filled, when the fill volume exceed 95%, the lights all flash to let the operator know their attention would soon be needed to change the roll.

On another machine, the lights were used as a mode indicator, so I used mutually exclusive bits to turn on only one light at a time. Red was e-stop, green was manual, yellow was auto ...

Too many possible uses for a generic driver program IMHO...

This is one of those cases where just because you can, I do not know that you should. Too me it makes reading the program convoluted.

Here is an attached example in V15. Basically for each station you have a program that maps the local alias (this way each program has the exact same driving logic), to the actual hardwired outputs. You can copy/paste the program and then do a search/replace for the actual outputs that that program will drive. Here you need to do some very controlled naming of the outputs for this to work well. On the stations that may not have all the possible lights you can create some place holder booleans that can be changed to an alias later if you actually add those colors to the light stack. See station02 logic for an example of this for the Amber and Blue colors.

You will see a program level tag that is an alias (LocalStack) that points to a controller level tag. You use these tags in your station specific logic to trigger the different lights for a strobed output or solid output. Same for the alarm horn.

I too would be interested in how others that use ControlLogix would approach this simple example.

Best of luck,

Darren

Thank you guys so much, Here where I work we are almost obsessed about standards and have developed contrologix Cotrol modules using UDT's for everything, Analog control modules, Motor control modules etc. Those familar with User defigned tags will understand what I mean, For example we scale every analog input module in the IO configuration 0 to 100% and then our analog control monule (block of logic) has scaling, Min, Max, Low Low alarm setpoint, Low set points High setpoints and High High set points. We also have global alarm control modules , anyway On and On. Most Ctrlogix programers copletley understand this and most likely do similar programming.

Nice thing is that once you understand one you understand all of them as well as the flexxibility is amazing. Sometimes only one or two functions of the CM are enabled. depends on your needs.

Now for my question?. Yes I could very easily create A UDT with 4 Bool's , Red, amber, green and horn, But then I could add some timers to create some flashing options as well.

I was just asking for some input and it seems like you guys have really come through for me, I will look at the attached file above in the morning but if anyone else has any ideas please shoot them at me, I have to finish this project tomorrow sometime.

Thanks Bob

Created in V15 RSLogix5000.

Here is an updated example with the timers Bob mentioned. Also included in the zip is a ".L5K" export.

Darren